Type of Place

Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail is one of America’s great success stories and an amazing outdoor legacy. The 2,179-mile trail runs the length of the country, from Georgia to Maine, crossing through some of the country’s most scenic landscapes—from mountains to forests to untouched wilderness. Conceived and created by private citizens, the trail is a privately managed part of the national park system and is still maintained by volunteers. The Conservation Fund has worked to conserve land in several states to protect public access to the trail and to ensure that future generations will be able to experience the trail as we do today.

Bird Watching

Our projects across the country often conserve critical bird habitat, providing the space they need for wintering, breeding, and resting along migratory journeys. Hundreds of bird species migrate across the nation each year, and the land and water where they have historically rested along the way is being developed and ultimately destroyed. We're working to protect and restore some of these remaining spaces so birds can continue their journeys safely, and so that avid bird watchers can enjoy their beauty — from national wildlife refuges to their own backyards.

Civil War Battlefield Conservation

There are a total of 384 principal Civil War battlefields, designated by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission back in 1993. The condition of these battlefields is alarming: more than 220 of them are not protected. Of the 162 that have protection, some are large enough to honor the soldiers and to enable visitors to understand the battle—others are too small or fragmented. The successes in battlefield preservation today are the result of efforts by both the private and public sectors. The Fund has been able to protect land at 83 battlefields in 14 states. Many of these projects have been made possible through our Civil War Battlefield Campaign. This campaign enables us to work in partnerships to protect land, provide comprehensive information on the 384 principal Civil War battlefields and to honor those that fought and died in the war.

Fishing

Access to bodies of water which offer fishing opportunities is a benefit many of our projects areas offer. Whether you're interested in fly fishing or a lazy day on the bank of a river, we encourage you explore the variety of sites across the country we have protected.

Hiking Trails

For nearly 30 years, The Conservation Fund has helped ensure access to some of America’s best hiking experiences. From close-to-home urban trail systems to the most remote wilderness hikes, our efforts have successfully helped establish, connect and extend trails as well as protect viewsheds along the way. Check out the projects below to learn more about some favorite hiking trails we’ve helped protect.

Historic Lands

America’s story begins outdoors. Our lands and waters are the backdrop for our most poignant national memories: homesteads, explorations, war, escape, adventure and more. From day one at The Conservation Fund, we’ve worked to protect the places where history was made.

Hunting Lands

Many hunters will tell you, hunting is an American tradition that depends on open space. At The Conservation Fund, we know that hunters appreciate the need for natural areas. We also know that for conservation solutions to last, they need to make economic sense. When land is saved for public recreation, it becomes a valuable community resource—for hunters and others who enjoy activities like fishing and hiking. For more than 25 years, the Fund has been working to save America’s favorite outdoor places by helping local communities protect their natural areas. Check out some of our land conservation projects that have preserved open space for hunting, more than 90% of the more than 7 million acres we’ve saved is open for public recreation, including hunting.

National Forests

America’s forests are at risk. Investment groups, companies and individuals privately own more than half our forestland, and it’s being carved up into smaller and more haphazard parcels all the time. Over the next 20 years, according to the U.S. Forest Service, as many as 26 million acres of America’s forests will go up for sale. When forests shrink or disappear, we lose the major benefits they provide—benefits you might not even realize.

National Monuments

The Antiquities Act of 1906 granted the President the authority to designate national monument to protect "objects of historic or scientific interest." Since then, more than 100 national monuments have been created and we are proud to have helped preserve many of them. From Delaware's First State and Maryland's Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad to Alaska's Admiralty Island and Cascade-Siskiyou which stretches across more than 54,000 acres in Southwest Oregon—these National Monuments are testaments to America's incredible natural beauty and history.

National Parks

Dubbed “America’s best idea,” our national parks offer an escape into the wild, a place to explore nature, and so much more. We’re proud to help the National Park Service protect and expand this legacy. We have worked with the Park Service on nearly 200 projects to protect land at many types of properties, including the ones listed below.